A New Director
by BananaKingCharlie
Summary: Kate Todd is Director of NCIS, but how will her relationship with Gibbs affect the agency? More importantly what affect does their relationship have on the other agents? Set in an alternate time and place.Rated T for suggestive themes, violence.
1. Director Todd

**Author's Note: **I don't own any of the characters! NCIS has a new director, but will her relationship with Leroy Jethro Gibbs be a problem?

I couldn't deal with it anymore. The long days, and even longer nights. There were things about me my agents didn't know, things they'd never know. It was twisted, but on some level it worked. They were my family now. All of them. Every agent under my direction. I had felt that way since Morrow had left. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday.

"_You understand what an awesome responsibility this is...don't you?"_ He whispered in a low voice as I stood awkwardly in my new office.

I managed a nod as I choked back any sign of fear. I remembered that from a brief overseas assignment. _"Don't show any emotion...especially fear." _It had been whispered in my ear by a senior agent who only meant well. Now I knew exactly how to handle myself.... or so I thought.

Every night my driver would drop me off and my protection detail would stand watch as I made my way inside, comforted by the familiar surroundings of home. It always felt good to be home, but the awful truth was that sometimes when I'd try to sleep the images from MTAC would haunt me. Even if I knew they were working a case close by I was still nervous about them.

My mind was brought back to MTAC by the sound of a loud explosion. The screen before me filled with shades of orange and red.

"Damnit!" I yelled as I yanked the headset off in frustration.

"We're done here for the evening." I mumbled as I walked past the technicians and programmers.

"Yes Director." Three voices chorused.

I glanced at my watch. Seven-fifteen. No doubt that they were thankful for an early evening.

"Thanks Stan!" I yelled as I bounded up the front steps and into my house where one agent was holding open the door for me.

"Typical Friday night." I explained giving the two agents in the front hall a rundown of the evening.

"Yes Director." The voices chorused as I undid the straps on my heels and stepped out of the frustratingly high shoes.

I grabbed the shoes and headed towards the study. It was a sudden relief to only have three things on my mind. Bourbon, a hot bath, and Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I wanted all three, but only two of my desires could be satisfied at the moment.

"Law of averages." I muttered under my breath as I poured a double shot of bourbon and headed upstairs. Two out of three wasn't so bad, technically it was more than half, and after watching seven months of undercover work get blown to tiny shards I was willing to accept anything that wasn't half-bad.

Immediately I drew a hot bath and undressed, climbing into the tub. I rested my drink on the edge and closed my eyes and inhaled the sweet aroma of my Mango Madness bubble bath. The frustration, fear, and stress slowly slipped away. I closed my eyes and sipped my bourbon. Two out of three, not bad, but I was still wanted Jethro more than anything. It was highly improbable, given the conversation we had earlier that morning in MTAC.

"_What do you mean you can't do it?_" He barked in anger.

"_I can't do it!_" I yelled, trying to remain authoritative.

"_I guess not!_" He retorted angrily, as he got up from his seat.

"_This is bullshit._" I heard him mutter just before the large steel door slammed shut behind him.

I had warned him about this, the day I became Director. Just because of our relationship I would not break protocols or ignore the rules on his behalf. He had been good natured about it then, as I knew he would be, but when it came time to put those standards to the test, he had been far more reluctant.

I heaved a sigh and sank lower into the tub. It was comforting to know exactly where he was, even if he wasn't with me. Somewhere in a dimly lit basement he was taking his frustrations out on a boat.

I lifted my head slightly and finished off my bourbon.

"You really shouldn't fall asleep in the tub." Jethro's voice echoed through the marble bathroom.

I slid back up and opened my eyes, frustrated that I was dreaming about him. But it wasn't a dream. Jethro was standing in the doorway of my bathroom, staring at me.

"Jethro?" I questioned, wondering if I was drunk.

"I am...I hope you don't mind...the guys let me in." Jethro said with a smirk as he approached the edge of the massive tub and knelt next to the side.

"I told them it was a typical Friday night. They were expecting you, even though I wasn't." I confessed as I avoided his gaze.

"I couldn't stay away. Not after the way I treated you this morning. It was unfair." Jethro grumbled.

"Really? Unfair? That's not exactly the word you used this morning...yes as I recall just a few hours ago it was bullshit." I recanted his exact words.

"Listen, about that, I was just angry and upset. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that." Jethro added.

"Generally it's not wise to swear at the boss-lady." I smirked as I looked into his impossibly deep blue eyes.

"I know." Jethro said as his eyes glimmered in the dim light of the bathroom.

"Really? Have you learned your lesson?" I asked with a wink of the eye and an arched eyebrow.

"I have...Director...I am sorry." Jethro said the last word with a heavy sigh. I knew how he felt about apologies...we _all_ did.

"And?" I asked with a mischievous grin as I pulled on his collar playfully, so that he was inches away from me.

"Oh...yeah the other part...the one we both like so much..." Jethro said with a grin as I locked eyes with him.

"Yes...that part." I whispered, inching my lips closer to his, knowing what would happen next.

"I love you..._Katie_." Jethro whispered.

My lips met his, and they fused together, a sweet kiss that explained everything we couldn't say with words.


	2. Scars

**Author's Note:** I don't own anything! Yes, Kate is the Director of NCIS, and Jenny is still an Agent...I thought it would be fun to reverse the roles! This is set in a time and place where Ari has already been killed, and Jenny and Jethro do have a past together, but all of that will be revealed as the story unfolds! I've never been to London, so much of the directional stuff is made-up, I hope I'm not too far off base. Enjoy the story!

I was screaming...the pain was running through me, white-hot and blinding.

"Jenny! Oh my God Jenny! Help me!"I was in a dark alleyway in London, screaming in pain.

"Shhhh....we're not dead yet! Do you want us to get killed?" Jenny Shepard hissed in a whisper as she shoved her hand over my mouth to silence me.

"Mmmwphh!" I responded.

"What?" Jenny whispered as she half-dragged me out of the alleyway.

"Gibbs will finish the job for them. He and Ducky are both going to kill us." I gritted.

"Now listen to me Agent Todd...we'll worry about that later. What I'm about to tell you is very important...act natural, follow my lead...whatever you do, don't show any emotion, especially fear." Jenny said as she let me sit on the sidewalk.

I nodded as Jenny hailed a cab.

"Where to ladies?" The cabbie chirped in a happy accented voice.

"Bayswater. House 21." Jenny said as I tried to maintain her composure.

"Wild night, huh ladies? The cabbie said as he glanced in the rear-view mirror.

"Yes, my friend had a bit too much gin...she's very close to getting sick in your cab...hurry please, there's some extra money in it for you." Jenny bribed the cab driver and he sped off into the night.

I held in every gasp and moan of pain that I wanted to release. For all of my mistakes tonight I was hoping that Jenny would still have something good to say when it was all said and done. Jenny rummaged through her purse and mine. She handed the cabbie all of the bills and coins we women had, knowing that it was more than enough. Jenny buttoned my dark jacket, hoping that the blood wouldn't show, and she dragged me out of the cab and up the steps to the safehouse.

Jenny pounded on the door as I finally groaned in relief.

"You did good...probie...." Jenny muttered as Ducky opened the door and gasped to see me crumpled on the stoop, clutching my abdomen.

"Jethro!" Ducky yelled into the house.

Jethro Gibbs deftly carried me into the house, and set me on the kitchen table.

"It's not as deep as it looks, thank God." Ducky muttered as he lifted my shirt.

I screamed as Ducky began probing around, trying to determine his course of action.

"Jethro! My bag!" Ducky demanded as Jethro bolted from the room and returned holding Ducky's black bag.

"She needs a hospital." Jenny said in a shaky voice.

"Not an option." Ducky reminded her. The fewer people that knew we had been in Europe the better.

"Kate, you're either going to love me or hate me for this." Ducky said as he looked down at me.

"What?" I asked, just as I felt Jenny grip my hand tightly.

"It's going to be just fine...I made it." Jenny said reassuringly as my world went black.

"Kate!" Jethro hissed as he wrapped two strong arms around me, and attempted to silence me.

"Was I doing it again?" I mumbled, still sleepy and in a daze from my nightmare.

"You were, but it's okay. I'm glad I'm here for you." Jethro said as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I feel like such a wimp. It was four years ago." I murmured as I rested my head in the crook of his shoulder.

"I still have nightmares about this." Jethro grimaced as he pointed at his shoulder. We both shared a knowing glance.

"But I'd do it all over again, if it meant saving you." Jethro reminded me, like he always did, of just how close we had both come to death.

"He can't hurt anyone...ever again." I whispered as I wrapped a hand around Jethro's shoulder, massaging the long-healed wound.

"Let's try to get some decent rest...without the nightmares." Jethro suggested as we both gently lay back down.

"I love you." I whispered, as Jethro's hand gently ran across my stomach, tracing what was now a faint scar. Ducky had done excellent repair work, sewing my stab wound back together in the primitive conditions of our London flat.

"I love you too." Jethro replied.


	3. Big Night Out

**Author's Note**: I don't own anything! There are some suggestive themes in this chapter, as well as cursing!

"Crap." I muttered darkly as I wiggled free from Jethro's tight embrace, and reached for my phone.

"Director Todd." I mumbled.

"Good morning Kate!" Abby's happy but gravely voice rang through my phone.

"Abby no...not yet..." I grumbled, anxious for more sleep.

"But Director, you told me to." Abby said happily.

"Is it really that late already...it seems like it was just three a.m." I said as I sat up in bed.

"Why were you up until three? Is Gibbs there?" Abby pressed. I could hear her smiling through the phone.

"He is here." I said with a smile as I looked at Jethro, he was still sleeping peacefully.

"Well then...I guess he did apologize." Abby said with a giggle.

I upped the ante in the conversation, doing what best friends did so well, awkward banter that threw the conversation in a different direction.

"Yes, he did actually. He said sorry just once, but the strangest thing is we made up three separate times." Now I was the one grinning wickedly.

"Oh gross! Kate, he's like my dad! I hate when you do that!" Abby squealed as I got out of bed and headed towards my bathroom.

I squinted at the sunlight pouring through the windows.

"You brought it up." I countered.

"I sure did. Listen I'll see you in an hour." Abby said as I reached into the shower and turned the hot water on full force.

"See ya!" I said happily as I set my phone down on the vanity and hopped into the shower.

Twenty minutes later I had emerged from the shower, throwing my hair in a loose bun. I slid into a sweat suit and grabbed my purse, stopping only to shake Jethro's shoulder gently.

"You leavin'?" Jethro mumbled as he rolled over, opening his eyes slightly.

"I sure am. My car is ready." I said as I kissed him on the lips.

"Have fun, enjoy your beauty stuff." Jethro whispered as I walked out of the master bedroom.

"I will!" I shouted.

"Katie...one more thing." Jethro yelled as I made my way to the top of the stairs. I stopped at the top of the landing and waited.

"Yes dear?" I replied.

"Don't forget to play nice!" Jethro teased as I headed downstairs where my car was waiting.

"_Play nice..._" I thought to myself. Not in this lifetime. Not after what I had overheard in London. The conversation that Jethro still had no idea I had eavesdropped on. I would never play nice with Jenny Shepard, and after all I was in charge of her paycheck now. There was a reason why I had made it to the Director's chair, and not Jenny.

"Good morning Stan." I said happily as I slid into the backseat of my Town car.

"Good morning Director Todd." Stan replied as he shut the door.

"Yay! We're all here!" Abby squealed with delight as I made my way into the lobby, escorted by Stan.

I glanced past Abby. The group was finally assembled. Abby, Ziva, Jenny and I all ready for a girl's day at the Spa.

"Holler if you need anything." Stan reminded me as he sat down in the lobby.

"Thanks, but don't forget, I can hold my own." I reminded Stan as I headed back with the girls.

"I know Director, but if something goes wrong, they'll blame me." Stan said with a small smile.

"They won't blame you, well maybe Jethro will, actually he'd just kill you but let's not think about that." I teased.

"Okay Kate, we get it, you and your boyfriend kick ass...now let's go!" Abby said as she grabbed my hand and we ran to catch up with Jenny and Ziva.

"This is delightful...." I whispered as my feet soaked in a rose petal pedicure.

"I feel like a princess." Ziva added.

"Princesses deserve some mimosas." Jenny said as one of the spa employees jumped up to immediately re-fill our drinks.

"Thanks." I said quietly as the girl re-filled my glass.

"I can feel the stress melting off of me." I said between sips of mimosa.

"It must be stressful." Abby said with a contented sigh.

"Yeah, keeping track of you guys is a lot to handle." I teased.

"So is dating Jethro." Jenny quipped.

I looked at her and glared. I could tell she pretended not to notice. I hated it when she did that. Sneaking in her biting remarks whenever she thought she could get away with it. She knew I wouldn't snap today. This had all been Abby's idea, and I was willing to work extra hard to keep the peace in order to keep Abby satisfied.

"So Ziva, how are you enjoying American life?" I asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I find it pleasant but confusing, especially all of your little sayings. Last week Ducky tried to tell me that his new sofa cost an arm and a foot. It took me twenty minutes to figure out that I meant expensive." Ziva explained.

"Don't worry about it, I'm lucky I can speak English properly, and I've lived here all my life." I joked, hoping that it would put Ziva at ease.

"Well if you had bothered to use your overseas time constructively you could have picked up a second language." Jenny retorted as a beautician applied pink nail polish to her toes.

"Sorry that I was busy chasing down terrorists and other nonsense and trying to keep everybody else safe. I was hired as a protection agent for a reason." I explained.

"We were all busy. Some more than others." Jenny replied.

Abby shot me a dirty look, and I knew better than to keep the banter going.

"So ladies...dark or light?" I asked as I held up two bottles of nail polish.

"Light." Three happy voices chorused in unison.

"Abby...this was the best idea...ever." I grunted as a masseuse diligently removed the knots from my neck and shoulders.

"Ever." Ziva said in a low throaty voice.

"Ditto." Jenny said in a muffled tone.

"We are going to look like such babes!" Ziva said as she pulled on her dress.

"We are babes!" Abby replied.

"Hot stuff coming through!" Jenny hollered through the dressing room at the spa.

"You know, we need to do this more often. Relax all day, while the guys do...guy stuff, and then force them to take us out to dinner at a fancy restaurant." I explained.

"It's great. I already told Tony that his best manners are necessary." Ziva explained as she slid into her shoes.

"And if he doesn't comply?" Abby asked cautiously.

"No manners...no lovin'!" Ziva exclaimed.

"I always knew it...from the moment I met him. Tony has manners he just refuses to use them." I whirled around so Abby could fasten the zipper on my dress as I said it.

"That's how most men are." Jenny said with a heavy sigh.

"Not my Timmy...he's very refined." Abby said with a small smile.

"Joe isn't awful...not great, but not awful." Jenny added to the conversation.

"So how is Commander Simons these days?" I asked with a small smile.

"Ask him at dinner." Jenny replied dryly as we all grabbed our purses and headed out.

Dinner was elegant, but fun. Lively conversation ensued as we drank and ate for the better part of the night. I held Jethro's hand under the table for most of the evening, content, but still saddened that evenings like this didn't happen often enough. It was rare that I got through an entire Saturday without some sort of emergency phone call, but today the impossible had happened, and I was very thankful for it.

"I'll be back." Jethro whispered in my ear as the waiter cleared our dessert plates.

I nodded and patted Jethro's hand gently as he exited the dining room. He was most likely heading for the bathroom.

A few minutes later I felt a light tap on my shoulder and turned around to see Jethro standing there, one hand extended.

"Shall we dance?" Jethro asked with a wide grin on his face.

"We shall." I said standing up and allowing him to escort me to the ballroom. Everyone else at the table followed us and we danced.

"This makes me so happy." I said as I stared up into Jethro's eyes.

"You make me happy." Jethro replied as he leaned down and kissed me while we moved to the music.

"I love you." I murmured as the song ended and the band took a break.

"I love you." Jethro replied softly as he kissed my lips gently.

"Drinks?" Tony offered as he headed towards the bar.

Everybody nodded.

We mingled and drank, all elated to relax for an entire evening without the imminent threat of an interruption. At one point during the evening I lost track of Jethro somehow, and I saw him talking to Jenny. She was leaning in, fawning all over him and obviously flirting while her boyfriend was in the bathroom.

"You think she'd leave well enough alone by now." Tony said as he handed me a drink.

I managed a small nod, confident that Jethro would never let anything happen.

"I wonder what happened between the two of them?" Tony asked as he waited for my reply.

_I shrugged my shoulders, feigning ignorance. I wasn't about to admit that I knew their deep dark secrets. It was really between the two of them, but my mind flashed back to London._

_I was recovering from my stab wound. I had been taken off of field work and was forced to spend all my time in the flat while Jethro and Jenny pulled double duty, working hard to gain all the intelligence information they possibly could. The medicine Ducky gave me for pain had made me so sleepy, so I spent much of my days and nights in bed, at least for the first few weeks._

_Ducky had gone out to lunch with some friends from medical school but I thought I was all alone until I heard the arguing. I slowly made my way downstairs, I could hear their voices raised in anger, filtering in from the study._

"_You what?!" Jethro asked in exasperation._

"_Calm down Jethro! You'll wake Kate!" Jenny hissed back._

_I made my way down the stairs in silence, and hid in the foyer, eager to hear what had happened that day in the field._

"_I said, I had it taken care of." Jenny replied darkly._

"_You never even asked me? You never even thought of that did you?" Jethro fumed. I could hear anger and sadness in his voice. It was an odd combination._

"_I don't need your permission." Jenny retorted._

"_Not to tie your shoes, or go for a walk, but something like this, yes...it would have been nice." Jethro replied._

"_You would have never approved." Jenny said knowingly._

"_Damn straight." Jethro added._

"_And what would my say have been? Would you have even bothered to consider my opinion or would it have been your way all the way?" Jenny's voice was shaky and I could hear her fight back tears._

"_That's not fair! There are alternatives, did you stop and think for one second that we can't be the first people who've ever had to deal with this? Or were you just completely selfish?" Jethro yelled._

"_This is unforgivable." Jethro said in a much lower voice._

_I heard a soft thud, and then a whimper._

"_You bitch...how dare you...I would never lay a hand on you." Jethro said._

"_You seemed to have no problem laying your hands on me before...isn't that how this whole thing got started?" Jenny said as her voice cracked and she began crying._

"_You never denied it, in fact you encouraged it. But we're done Jen, done and over with. There is no coming back from this." Jethro said as I heard him storm out of the room._

_I scurried out of view and hid behind the stairwell when I realized Jethro was heading toward the kitchen. I saw him return with an ice pack, and even in my pain-killer daze I realized Jenny had actually hit him._

_I was shocked that she would do such a thing, and Jethro walked back into the room with an ice pack on his left cheek._

"_Work is one thing, but we have no personal life now." Jethro said hotly._

"_But Jethro!" Jenny begged._

"_What about us?" She whined._

"_There is no us! You got rid of us three days ago!" Jethro yelled as I took the opportunity to dart back upstairs and head into my room._

_I lay in bed, trying to go back to sleep, ignoring my growling stomach, ignoring what I had just heard. It shocked me to my core. It went against everything I held dear, but I realized that it wasn't my choice to make, or my battle to fight. As I drifted back to sleep I couldn't help but sympathize with Jethro. He was caught in the middle of this whole thing, and for once he felt helpless. It had to have been more frustrating than anything. She had betrayed him completely, shattering their trust and love with one decisive blow._

_Three days later when Jenny hastily packed and hugged me good-bye I wasn't the least bit surprised._

"_Quick re-assignment. I'll send you a postcard from Cairo." Jenny promised as we stood in the foyer waiting for her cab._

_I had nodded, pretending not to know the true nature of her reassignment._

"Honey? Katie? Earth to the Director!" Jethro teased as he placed a gentle hand on the small of my back.

I was jolted from my flashback. The band was playing again, and I had almost finished my drink. Everybody else was dancing around us and I must have looked like an idiot standing there completely still.

"You okay? You look a bit pale." Jethro asked with concern.

"I'm fine, now that you're back." I replied as I looked at Jethro.

"Let's dance." I said happily, eager to snap back to reality.

"Yes Director." Jethro replied as he grabbed my hand and led me to the center of the dance floor.

"Tonight was amazing." I said as I leaned into Jethro, relaxing for the duration of our car ride.

"Reminds me of that night, you know...our first night." Jethro winked as he said it, and I tightened my grip on his hand.

_I closed my eyes. We had been working undercover at a Royal ball, and I felt like a princess as one of Ducky's friends schooled me for the better part of an afternoon on etiquette and dress. Jenny had left our mission six weeks prior. I had all but recovered from my stab wound, and it was up to Jethro and I to do most of the heavy lifting now._

_He had invited me to dance with him, and I was surprised by how light and elegant his movements were. He wasn't afraid to pull me close, or let his hands wander. When we returned to the flat Ducky was already in bed. Jethro had kissed me just outside the door of my bedroom, and I was desperate for more._

"_Is this what you really want?" Jethro asked as he panted for breath._

_I nodded, knowing that I didn't want or need anybody else._

"_Good....me too." Jethro replied as he leaned back down and kissed me._

It had been fantastic, better than I could have ever expected, and the best part was that I knew he felt the same way.

"Have a good evening!" Stan shouted as Jethro and I exited the car and made our way up the front steps of his house.

Jethro opened the front door, and we stood in the kitchen, hugging for a few silent moments.

"You know, the first time I danced with you, I was surprised. I didn't know then that you had all the right moves." I teased as I ran a hand through his silver hair.

"Come upstairs with me Kate...I'll show you even more of my moves." Jethro teased back as he swatted my bottom lightly.

"Gladly." I replied as we linked hands and headed upstairs.


	4. Owing Ziva

Author's Note: Thanks for all the kind reviews! I don't own anything!

I steadied myself mentally and took a deep breath. I had been Director for just about a year now, but the big lunches and fancy parties still left me awestruck. Being introduced as the Director of NCIS still left me awestruck too. To hear my name accompanied by such an esteemed title was an honor.

"Please help me welcome NCIS Director Kaitlin Todd!" My very dear friend Sarah Cole from the State Department announced me as I made my way into the crowded banquet hall. Jethro escorted me to my seat and then headed off to the corner to spend time with all of the other guys who were working protection details.

A few more women were introduced and we all clapped for one another and took our seats.

"It's nice to see everybody. It's a lovely day in Washington DC. Now let's get this luncheon rolling!" Sarah announced proudly as she sat down at her seat.

Everybody enjoyed lunch, and it was nice to catch up on my gossip. That was the true purpose of these things. Sarah had let me in on that dirty little secret shortly after I had been invited into the group. The fourth Tuesday of every month us girls all met for lunch. Just over a hundred of us. The top power players of politics, law enforcement and commerce, all together in one room, doing what women did best...talking.

After our dessert plates were cleared Sarah stood up and introduced the guest speaker for the afternoon. Once again, it felt weird to hear my name. As I approached the podium I felt a sense of triumph. After years of hard work, and wondering if I actually had accomplished anything I knew I had. People listened when I talked. I could make things happen, I could indeed change the world.

I spoke about just that, getting people to listen, getting things done, somewhere in all this bureaucracy actual work had to be accomplished. My speech was short, but the entire time I focused only one person. Jethro was in the back of the banquet hall, in a dark suit and tie, standing with other people assigned to protection details from various agencies. I could see him smiling, and that put me at ease. The applause filtered through my ears as I stepped down and hugged Sarah.

"Very nice." She murmured as we headed towards the bar to grab a cocktail.

All along the way women stopped to shake my hand, and thank me for my encouraging speech.

It was fifteen minutes later when I felt a light tap on the shoulder, and Jethro handed me a drink.

I thanked him and moved on, unable to kiss him in public, he was on the clock so to speak just as I was, which also meant no romance.

"Kate, I'd like you to meet Ayala Cohen she is the Israeli Ambassador." Sarah said as she walked away and headed towards the bar.

"So nice to finally meet you Director Todd." Ayala said as we politely shook hands.

"It is nice to meet you also. Officer David has spoken of you often." I added as I sipped my drink.

"And how is Officer David?" Ayala asked with a slight smile and knowing laugh.

"Just as feisty as ever." I replied.

"Good. I am glad not much has changed. I don't speak with her as often as I should. Work keeps the both of us busy, but I have helped her with much of the paperwork involved in relocating to a new country. I must admit that it is nice to have somebody from home close by." Ayala explained.

"It is." I said knowingly, remembering when I had first come to DC for work. It had been thrilling to move from the sleepy town in Indiana where I had grown up. It was exciting, but as the luster of my new life faded I spent long nights crying myself to sleep just wishing I could hug my mom, or hang out with my sister.

I had been working at the Secret Service for just over four months when I discovered one of the secretaries was originally from Indiana. We bonded instantly, and we had been good friends ever since.

"I fear that Ziva has more trouble adjusting than she lets on. I can't say I blame her though, after what happened last year." Ayala said sympathetically.

"What?" I asked, unsure of where the conversation was headed.

"The poor girl, arrives here in a strange place, eager to meet up with her brother, but one day later he is shot while helping NCIS thwart a terrorist attack. It was a shocking loss." Ayala said as a look of pain crossed her face.

I swallowed hard and gulped my drink. I had almost forgotten the official story that Homeland Security had helped us fabricate. Eli David didn't want anybody to know the truth about his son, and I can't say that I blamed him.

"It was horrifying." I said. It was the nicest thing I could say considering the circumstances.

"Certainly." Ayala commented.

_My mind instantly flashed back. I was still an Agent then. It was my last day in the field. I didn't know it at the time, but as I was standing on the rooftop of an abandoned warehouse with Gibbs and DiNozzo Director Morrow was recommending that I fill his space when he left._

"_Shooter!" I shouted as an assailant appeared in a doorway. I could see him aiming for Gibbs, and I flew in front of him, hoping that I'd save him. It worked. In the time I flew Gibbs shot him, but not before a bullet had lodged into my vest._

"_Oww!" I mumbled as I lay crumpled on the rooftop. _

"_You okay?" Tony asked._

"_I just got shot at point blank range! What the hell do you think?" I asked as I got up and stood next to Jethro and Tony._

"_You're not going to Pilates class tomorrow." Tony teased._

"_Protection detail is over." Gibbs said with a smirk as he looked at me._

"_You did good Kate." Tony commented, looking at Gibbs and I._

"_For once Tony's right." Jethro said with a laugh._

"_I thought I'd die before I'd hear you say that Jethro." I replied with a small smile._

_In less than a second Jethro's ears perked up. His hands grabbed me and Tony by the back of the neck and we fell to the rooftop. Jethro whispering that we weren't supposed to move. Right where I had been standing fell the round from a sniper rifle._

"_How did you know?" I whispered._

"_Calm before the storm. Snipers move in and out in the middle of big firefights if they can. Anything to buy some time." Jethro whispered._

_To this day I still can't say how long we waited on that rooftop. We waited for what seemed like an eternity. Gibbs had radioed McGee instructing that every rooftop and abandoned building within a mile be cleared before we moved. It was twilight by the time the SWAT team cleared us, and I was shivering in the cold, unable to process how close we had all been to dying._

"_That round was meant for her." Jethro said as he pointed at me. It was almost midnight, and we were in Abby's lab, waiting for her to analyze the evidence._

"_I know." Abby said as she concealed a yawn._

"_So did anybody see that new girl?" Tony asked._

"_Nope, we've been a bit distracted." I said letting out a fierce yawn._

"_She's Israeli or something. She's Jenny's souvenir." Abby said as she looked at her computer monitor._

"_Jenny who?" McGee asked._

"_You know, Jenny Shepard. Well that's right you wouldn't know. You haven't been here long enough, but she's a great field agent. She's been living the nomad lifestyle for a few years now. In fact she even worked a case in London with Kate and Gibbs." Abby explained._

_Jethro gripped my hand tighter, and we exchanged wary glances._

"_Go home, get some sleep." Morrow said as he made a rare appearance in the lab._

"_Yes sir." Everybody had chorused. We were all too tired to put up a fight._

"_Kate...don't even think about it." Jethro whispered as we got into the elevator._

"_Wasn't planning on it." I said with a smile as I reached for his hand and held it tightly. Usually after a long day I'd head back to my place and collapse in my own bed. Tonight I knew better. Ari Haswari was determined to end my life, but Jethro would keep me safe._

_We showered and enjoyed a quiet dinner. _

"_Boat?" Jethro asked as we both gave up on fitful sleep._

_I nodded._

_We made our way down the basement steps, and I recoiled in horror when I realized that Ari was crouched next to the workbench holding Jethro's rifle._

"_Bastard." I whispered curtly._

"_Hello Kaitlin, hello Jethro. I hope you both enjoy the afterlife." Ari said with a snarled grin as he raised the rifle towards me._

_I dug my nails into Jethro's arm, and braced for the inevitable. This was it. We were both going to die. In the basement there was nowhere to go, nothing that could save us._

_I gasped when the rifle fell out of Ari's hands, and he slouched down, a pool of blood forming on the basement floor._

_Jethro and I glanced at one another and then up towards the stairs._

_A dark-haired woman was re-holstering her weapon, and chanting in Hebrew as she made her way down the stairs. She slipped right past Jethro and I and made her way over to Ari. She continued chanting and then stopped abruptly._

"_I am Ziva David." She said extending her hand, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened._

"_I am Jethro Gibbs." Jethro replied, shaking Ziva's hand._

"_I am Kate." I said in a soft voice, still shocked by the day's events._

"_I know. I have known for a long time." Ziva explained as she hugged me quickly._

_The sound of soft footsteps descending to the basement alarmed me, but I spun around to see Jenny standing there._

"_I just called your father." Jenny said as she eyed Ziva._

"_It is best we get you out of here." Ziva said as she looked at me._

"_Why?" I asked._

"_Too many questions, not enough answers." Jenny explained._

_Whatever feelings I had harbored towards Jenny in the past several years vanished in an instant. I didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle, but I knew that she was responsible for saving our lives._

_I obeyed as I was ushered out of the house, accompanied by Jethro, and driven back to NCIS headquarters. It was explained to me there that Ari had betrayed his country and Mossad. Ziva had been sent to America to kill him. That was the truth. The official story would be that Ari had died helping NCIS. It sickened me to think that some would laud him as a hero in death, but I realized that God knew the truth and that was all that mattered._

"Don't you agree Kate?" Sarah said joining the conversation.

"I'm sorry, I faded off for a second." I admitted with an embarrassing blush settling over my face.

"Ayala's shoes? Aren't they marvelous?_"_ Sarah elaborated.

I nodded.

"Director Todd...I hate to interrupt, but there is a situation. Agent Kelly just called, we need to get you into MTAC." Jethro said as he placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Ladies if you'll excuse me, duty calls." I said politely as I followed Jethro out the door.

I smirked at him, he had used our old distress code. There was no Agent Kelly, and sadly enough there never would be an Agent Kelly.

"What was that all about? I could see you go pale from across the room." Jethro asked once we were in the silence of my car, Stan driving us back to NCIS.

"She was the Israeli Ambassador." I said quickly as I gripped Jethro's hand firmly and kissed him on the cheek.

It was all I needed to say. He understood completely without explanation. The conversation had focused on Ari, and it had turned my stomach.

"We owe Ziva big time." I reminded Jethro.

"And one day she will collect." Jethro said as he kissed my forehead lightly.


	5. Crazy

**Author's Note:** Please enjoy the end of this story...I can't decide if a sequel would really work out, so if anybody has any ideas about that...please let me know. Thanks for reading and thanks for all the kind reviews!

I rolled over in bed and couldn't help but smile. A single red rose lay on the blue satin pillow next to me. I picked it up and smelled it. The flower was practically perfect, every petal open and in bloom. It made me think of the first rose he had ever given me.

"_It's lovely!" I exclaimed as Gibbs handed me a pink rose._

"_But it's not my birthday..." I said as I bit my lower lip and trailed off awkwardly, staring at the ceiling of our London flat._

"_It's not supposed to be for that." He whispered quietly._

"_What?" I asked in surprise._

"_Pink, it expresses admiration, honor and a deep respect, at least when flowers are involved. Kate, the way you handled things last night, I really admire your work. I admire...you." Jethro said as he closed the gap between us on the couch and kissed me passionately._

_It wasn't our first kiss by any means, but the fact remained that we had been together for a few months, and hearing Jethro express that he admired me was as close as I was going to get to an "I love you." Our relationship was still new, and whenever the conversation bordered on serious topics, such as long-term commitment I could see him completely zone out. I could see pain in his eyes, and a hardened expression on his face. I couldn't describe the look for the longest time. I thought it was the frustration of three failed marriages, but I couldn't have been more wrong._

_It happened exactly one year after we started dating. We were both back in the states, stationed at NCIS headquarters. An elegant dinner out had provided a much needed distraction from work and a celebration of us being together._

_We were walking along the Mall in downtown DC, the monuments shining in the moonlight._

"_It's time you knew." Jethro said with a heavy sigh as we sat down on a park bench and he wrapped his arm around me._

"_Knew what?" I asked, fearing the worst._

"_Kate, I've been hiding something from you. I can't say I'm proud of myself..."Jethro trailed off and heaved a sigh._

"_What is it? You can tell me anything..." I said as I reached for Jethro's hand and held it tightly. _

"_I don't usually tell people this...in fact I never really told any of my wives until I had to. But with you I think things are so much different, so much better...I want you to know." Jethro said as he heaved another sigh._

"_I'm here for you." I said as my stomach knotted and I feared the worst._

"_Katie, I've been married four times, not three." Jethro said as he stared at the ground._

"_That's it? That's all...well after three what's one more?" I teased, not sensing the gravity of the situation._

"_This isn't a joke!" Jethro bellowed so loudly that his voice echoed through the park._

"_I'm sorry...I didn't mean to.." I was cut off by Jethro gripping my hand tighter._

"_Of course you didn't Katie, nobody ever means to, that's half the problem sometimes..." Jethro looked at me lovingly as he tucked a lock of hair behind my ear._

"_A long time ago...I had a wife, and a daughter...I loved them so much." Jethro began as I could tell in the pale moonlight that he was fighting back tears._

_It wasn't long before we both sat there crying on the park bench as he told me about his life with Shannon and Kelly and how it had ended all too quickly._

"_I'm sorry you had to live through that." I said as I wiped tears from my eyes. It sounded so small, so insignificant, but it was all I could think of to say._

"_Me too." Jethro said as he stood up abruptly and extended a hand. I followed him as we walked in silence. We must have walked at least two or three miles that night, but I knew he needed it. Somewhere on the silent walk around DC we had connected._

_The very next morning I had awoken to a single pink flower on my night stand with a small note: "No matter what happens, I will always admire you." _

It made me smile then, and now four years later I still had a smile on my face as I sat up in bed.

"Good morning Director!" Jethro said happily as he handed me a large coffee cup.

"Mmm...thanks for the flower." I said as I sipped my coffee.

"You're welcome. I just wanted you to have something nice before the insanity of our day started." Jethro said as he perched on the edge of the bed and leaned over to kiss me.

"Our lives...our jobs...insane?" I teased back.

"I know...shocking isn't it?" Jethro replied sarcastically.

"Riiight...sometimes if it weren't for work we'd never see each other." I added dryly.

"Pitiful isn't it?" Jethro smiled as he stood up so I could hop out of bed and begin to get ready for work.

"It is pathetic, but I love my life...I love my job, and most of all I love having you around." I reminded Jethro as I headed into the bathroom and turned the shower on.

"I love you too!" Jethro shouted back as I stepped into the shower.

"Yes thank-you Cynthia." I replied as I disconnected from speaker phone.

Cynthia was the best secretary in the history of the world, and I was eternally grateful for all of her assistance. She had the foresight to think of this, whereas I probably would have fumbled the whole situation.

I listened to some cheesy elevator music for a few minutes, while Jethro sat on the leather couch in my office wearing a pained expression.

"Yes...I'm here..." I said happily.

"Oh...okay thanks." I said as I hung up the phone, almost unable to contain my excitement.

I got up from my desk and headed over to the couch. I curled up next to Jethro and stared into his eyes.

"Jethro." I whispered quietly.

"Katie." Jethro whispered back.

"Remember what we talked about this morning...all of that craziness, all of the insanity that our life is full of?" I prodded.

Jethro nodded.

"Well how would you feel if things got a little more crazy?" I asked with a wink.

"How much more crazy?" Jethro asked cautiously.

"I was thinking...eighteen years worth of crazy...long sleepless nights worth of crazy, parent-teacher conference crazy...first date crazy...how does that sound?" I waited for a sign, any sign. I was ecstatic, and I knew Jethro would be too.

"That sounds perfect." Jethro said as he leaned down and kissed me passionately.

**THE END**


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